Separator



H. BROWN ET AL SEPARATOR Filed April l2, 1.953 2 Sheets-Sheetl l INTETOR;

n@ .0.. Wm TG W, BR J u@ @Lm H mf ATTORNEY.

May 19, 1936.

May 19, 1936. H- BROWN ET AL 2,041,591

SEPARATOR Filed April 12, 1935 2 sheets-sheet 2 Harold' Brown ana .amerik- Gnz'gsb ATTORNEY,

Patented May 19, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SEPARATOR Kans.

Application April 12, 1933, Serial No. 665,746

4 Claims.

Our invention relates to dry separators in which a screen and an air blast are employed in the separation of materials in accordance with their size and specic gravity. In different elds '5 of industry, and more especially in the treatment of ores, it is often desirable to separate the materials in accordance with their size and theirspeciiic gravity so that the values may be readily gathered from the foreign or waste materials.

The present invention contemplates an apparatus in which the materials may be separated efficiently without the aid of water, mercury, The invention also provides forEn acids. removing magnetized materials from the other materials treated.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, reference Will now be had to the accompanying drawingsmin which:

Figs. 1 is a vertical; longitudinalsectiersof the separator with somef the upper partsbrokenA away. Fig. 2 is a detail plan view of a screen for separating the materials in accordance with their size.

Fig. 3 shows a cross section of the screen on 'line 3-3 of Fig. 2, with the addition of some of the associated parts.

Fig. 4 shows a fragmentary cross section of the separator housing and a longitudinal section of one of a plurality of trays employed in carrying vout the invention, the section being taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 5.

. Fig. 5 is av fragmentary side elevation of the housing and an end view of one of the trays.

Fig. 6 is enlarged broken longitudinal sectional viewof the upper portion of the separator.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view showing a portion of the housing in section on line I of Fig. 1, and part of the air controlling means in plan view.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary detail showing one of a series of baffles and means for adjusting the same.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of a portion of the separator housing with a bin removably arranged therein.

r`1i""ig.,10 is a fragmentary detail showing the controlling means for another baille. l l

In the embodiment of the invention as suitable housing 2 is provided;- .The por'- tion of the separator has a1op.per3in which the materials to be separatedare initially loaded. The lower portion of the hopper 3 hasfaf magnetic roller 5 for gathering iron, steelajndmagnetic materials from the other materials' as the latter -fall to an underlying screen 6.5@ scraper I3 removes the iron, steel and magnetic materials from the roller 5 and deposits them upon a chute 9 whereby they are discharged from one side of the separator. The screen 6 is located in a hopper 4 and has a number of different meshes for separating the materials in accordance with their sizes. The screen 6 is slidably mounted upon brackets I and, as shown by Fig. 3, is arranged in an inclined position with the iine mesh at the upper portion, the coarse mesh at the lower portion, and the medium mesh at the intermediate portion of the screen. The hopper 4, at a point below the screen 6, is divided longitudinally by partitions 8 to prevent the different sizes of the materials from again becoming intermixed as they fall upon the inclined bottom I 0 of the hopper 4.

The bottom I0 has an outlet I2 through which the materials are discharged upon the uppermost one of a series of baffles I4 arranged adjacent to aaseriesaoffthreatsr I6 through which streams of 'air are forced-from suitable air blast producing means shown in thepresent instance in the form of a fan I8 mounted at an air inlet 20 in the front portion of the housing 2. The fan I8 is driven by suitable means such as sprocket mechanism 22 from an engine or motor 24.

Each baffle I4 is adjustably mounted so that it maybe turned axially to any point from a vertical to a horizontal plane and also `moved towards "or away from` the adjacent throat I6, or upward, or downward as desired. In the present instanceaxial adjustment is accomplished with a hand lever 26, Fig. 8, xed to one of a pair of trunnions 28 projecting from opposite ends of the baflle'l4 through apertures 30 formed in the sides of the housing 2 to allow clearance for the trunnions 28 when the baille I4 is adjusted to the different positions above-mentioned. The forward, backward, upward and downward movements are accomplished with a pair of hand levers 32 in the upper ends of which the trunnions 28 are journaled to permit the baffle I4 to be rocked to different inclinations by means of the leverv 26. The levers 32 have pin-and-slot connections 34 with the adjacent sides of the housing 2 so that they may move the baille I4 upward, downward, forward or backward, as stated.

.. After the baffle I4 has been adjusted axially by thellever 26 it is secured from further axial movement by binding the lever 26 against the side of the adjagent lever 32 by a nut 36 threaded upon the adjacent trunnion 28, and after being ad` justed 1 forwardly, backwardly, upwardly, or downwardly the baille is secured from further yintermediary of the -levers 26 and 32.

plates 34.

movement in those directions by binding the levers 32 against the housing 2 by means of nuts 38 threaded upon the associated pins 31 of the pin-and-slot connections 34.

The upper portion of the throats |6 are formed by a series of short stationary inclined planes 49 Xed to the housing 2, and the lower portion of said throats are formed by adjustable gates 4| and 42, whereby the area of. the throats may be enlarged or reduced to regulate the Volume of air passing therethrough. Each set of gates'4I and 42 are hingedly connected together as shown by Figs. 1 and 7, the gate 4| being xedly mounted upon the hinge member 48, while the gate 42 is rigidly secured to the hinge pintle 44 by suitable means such as transverse Vpins 46. In order that the gates 4I and 42 may be rocked independently of each other to enlarge or reduce lthe vari-:21, of the 1 respective throat I6, the ends of the hinge member 48 are rockably mounted in the sides' ofA 'the housing 2 and one of said ends isequippedY with a xedly mounted hand lever 59, while one end of the pintle 44 projects beyond said hinge member 48 and is equipped with a xedly mounted hand lever 52. The hand levers 59 and 52 may be held at any point of their movement by engaging them with sectors 54 and-56, respectively, secured to the adjacent side of the housing 2.

The different grades of material falling from the lower portions of the bailies I4 are caught in receptacles or trays 58 which may be turned axially to carry their vmouths 69 beneath the lower edges of the respective baffles I4 when the latter are adjusted to diierent positionsthrough the Figs. 4 and 5 which disclose one of the trays 58 in detail show it provided at one end with a trunnion 62 mounted in the adjacent side of. the housing 2 .and threaded for the reception of a nut 64, which y'LILO `upon being tightened binds .the adjacent end of the'tray 58 against'the housing 2, and thus `prewhereby the tray V58 and its contents may be removed from the housing 2 after removal of the nut 64 from the trunnion 62,. In order that the tray 58 may be turned axially to bring itsmouth 69 into proper relation with-the `lower portion of the associated bafe I4 an index mark 'I2 is formed on the end 66 to cooperate with a scale 'I4 formed on the adjacent side of the housing 2.

16 designates a series of relatively long stationary inclined planes, the'lower ends of which extend below the` associated trays 58 and terminate within a short distance of the short inclined planes 49 which slope downwardlyV from Athe hinged portions of the gates 4I and 42, Fig. 1.

Openings 89 are left between the adjacent portions of the inclined planes 49 and 'I6 to permit the passage of material to the underlying bailies One or more of the uppermost inclined planes "I6 are connected at their upper rear ends by hinges 8| to baflies 82 which in turn are connected at their upper margins-by hinges 83 to adjustable Each baffle 32 is xedly mounted upon the pintle 86 of the'associated hinge 8|, so that said baffle 82 ymay be rocked up or down by means of ahand lever 88arranged-exteriorly of the housing 2 and fixed to the adjacent end of the pintle 86. Both ends of the pintles 86 are rockably mounted in the sides of the housing 2. Sectors 99 are provided for holding the levers 88 in any of their adjusted positions.

The plates 84 are xedly connected to the hinge pintles 93 which project outwardly through arcuate slots 95 in the sides of the housing 2. The outer ends of the pintles 93 are equipped with xedly mounted hand levers 96 whereby the plates 84 may be adjusted to different inclinations or they: and the baffles 82 may be raised or lowered within the limits of the slots 95. The plates 84 may be secured in any of their adjusted positions by nuts'gl, Fig. 10, threaded upon the ends of. the pintles 93 to bind the hand levers 96 against the sides of the housing 2.

"One or more of the lowermost inclined planes 16 are equipped at their upper rear ends with rockable baflies 98 hingedly connected to said inclinedplanes and operated with ,hand levers 99 arranged exteriorlyof the housing 2 and adapted to be held in any of their .adjusted-positions by sectors |92. The baffles 98 -are equipped with fibrous material such as woolen blankets |94 for catching the finer .particles of material as they lare blown backwardly bythe air blast.

and |96 may be driven from the motor 24 by any suitable mechanism, not shown. Any material gathered by the roller |96 is removed therefrom by a scraper |98 and falls into an underlying receptacle |I9.

||2 designates Va series of bins located in the lower portion of the housing 2 from one side of which latter they maybe withdrawn with 'their contents through openings I I4, Fig. 9. Any values falling from the lowermost inclined planes 49 and I6 are blown backwardly by the air blast against a series ofradjustable baffles ||6 which cooperate with the air blast and the force of gravity in depositing the materials according to their specic gravity, into the respective bins ||2. The baffles I I6 are provided with trunnions |22 rockably mounted in the sides of the housing 2. Cne of .each pair of -Vtrunnions |22 is equipped with a i'ixedly mounted hand lever |24 arranged exteriorly of the housing 2 for rocking the associated 'bale to various inclinations, or for adjusting itto a horizontal position to close vrthe respective .bins I I2 when the material is not worth saving. The waste material blown over-the bins L|'I2 falls into a hopper |26 from which itis conducted to the exterior of the housing :2 by suitable means such as an endless conveyer |28, .or

if the waste material is very light it may be blown directly out of the housing -2 by opening arear door |21 in said housing. The hand levers |24 are held in their various positions by sectors -|29 on the exterior of theY housing 2. 'When it is desirable to increase the force of the blast created by the fan I8, I provide an auxiliary or exhaust fan |30 located Vin an outlet |32in-the rear wall of the lhousing 2. The fan |39 is driven lfrom the motor 24 by the sprocket mechanism 22, sprocket mechanism |33, a shaft |34 and sprocket mechanism |36. If it is found Ithat our or flake gold is escaping through the'outlet V|32 a blanket orother suitable screen |38 is stretched across said outlet and removably held in place by an annular clamp |39, so that the blanket may beremoved -in order that the values can be readily recovered. In order to prevent :the materials-.fromclogging the screen 6 or the various openings and passageways in the housing 2, I employ agitating means comprising a cam |40 xedly mounted upon the shaft |34 and provided with a beveled face |42 abutting the corresponding face of a bearing |44 fixed to the adjacent wall of the screen 6 and reciprocably mounted upon the shaft |34. The bevel face of the bearing |44 is yieldably held against the face of the cam |40 by means of a spring |46 interposed between one side of the screen 6 and the head |48 of a bolt |50 extending loosely through an aperture |52 in the screen and rigidly secured to the adjacent side of the hopper 4, Fig. 6. The bearing |44 and its beveled face is supplied with lubricant from an oiler |54 extending through a sleeve |56 which excludes dust from the beveled faces of said bearing |44 and the cam |40 and also retains a portion of the oil between said faces. From the foregoing arrangement it is apparent that at each revolution of the cam 40 it will move the screen 6 to the right, Fig. 6, after which the screen will be suddenly shifted to the left by the spring |46 and strike the hopper 4 with sucient force to jar the housing 2 and the screen 6 and thus prevent them from becoming clogged with the materials.

Brieily stated the operation is as follows: The materials to be separated are fed into the hopper 3 and pass downwardly in their passage to the screen 6. If any iron, steel or magnetic material is present it is attracted by the roller 5 from which it is removed by the scraper I3 and conveyed out of the separator by the chute 9. As the materials fall upon the upper portion of the inclined screen 6 they are separated in accordance to size by the variable mesh and fall upon the bottom of the hopper 4, the materials too coarse to pass through the coarest mesh of the screen being discharged from the apparatus through a spout in the lower portion of the screen 6. As the materials pass down the inclined bottom |0 of the hopper 4 they fall through the outlet |2 and are subjected to that portion of the air blast passing through the uppermost throat |6 which separates the materials in accordance with their specific gravity. The heaviest materials fall upon the uppermost baille |4 and are conducted thereby into the uppermost tray 58, while.the lighter materials are blown backwardly into the uppermost passageway |60 through which the lightest materials pass and escape through the outlet |32 at the rear of the housing 2. The materials too heavy to be blown through the rear portion o-f the uppermost passageway |60 slide or roll down the uppermost inclined plane 16, from which they fall through the associated opening and are treated to that portion of the air blast blowing through the second throat I6. These successive treatments of the diminishing quantities of materials are continued until the small remainder is nally separated by the air blast ilowing through the lowermost throat I6. The nal separation results in the materials being deposited according to specific gravity into the bins ||2 while the waste material is carried off by the conveyer |26 or blown outwardly through the open door |21.

Where there is considerable waste material present it of course is desirable to get rid of the same as early as possible, so in order to obtain this result the uppermost throat I6 is adjusted to allow a large volume of air to pass therethrough while the uppermost bailles |4 and 82 are adjusted to a relatively horizontal plane to allow free passage of the waste material to the outlet |32. If it is found that considerable ilour or ilake gold is present in the materials as they are blown into the two lowermost passageways |60, the bailles 98 are raised so that the blankets |04 will intercept the values and prevent them from being blown through the outlet |32.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that we have provided a dry separator which is well adapted fo-r the purpose intended, and while we have shown and described one form of the invention we reserve al1 rights to such other forms and modications thereof as properly fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a separator, a series of short inclined planes, a series of relatively long inclined planes descending towards the lower ends of said short inclined planes but spaced therefrom to leave openings for the passage of materials, means for directing an air blast against the materials to cooperate with the inclined planes and the force of gravity in separating the lighter from the heavier materials, a baille at the upper portion of one of the longer inclined planes, a plate adjustably connected to the upper portion of said baille, and means for adjusting said baille.

2. In a separator, a hopper having an outlet for materials deposited therein, a throat arranged beneath the hopper outlet, a passageway at the rear of the thro-at, means for forcing a blast of air through said throat and said passageway to blow the lighter materials outwardly through the rear of the separator, a baille adjustably mounted at the rear of said passageway for intercepting a portion of the lighter materials, a hand lever for adjusting said baille, means for securing said hand lever in any of its adjusted positions, an adjustable tray located in the forward portion of said passageway, and a baille mounted at the rear of the throat and adapted to be adjusted to direct a portion of the heavier materials into said tray.

3. In a separator, a hopper having an outlet for materials deposited therein, a series of superimposed throats arranged beneath the hopper outlet, a series of superimposed passageways leading rearwardly from said throats, means for forcing a blast of air rearwardly through said throats and said passageways, an adjustable baille located in the forward portion of each passageway, a tray having a mouth located beneath each'baille and adapted to be turned axially to carry its mouth into proper relation with the associated baille, and coacting means on the separator and the tray whereby the position of the mouth may be readily ascertained.

4. In a separator, a throat, a passageway leading rearwardly from said throat, means fo-r blowing a blast of air through the throat and said passageway, a baille at the rear portion of said passageway, manual means for adjusting said baille to regulate the flow of air through the passageway, a plate extending rearwardly from the baille, hinge means operably connecting the baille and said plate, said hinge means including a pintle to which the plate is fixed, and a lever xed to said pintle for adjusting the plate with respect to the baille.

HAROLD BROWN. ALBERT R. GRIGSBY. 

